Black Bear

[Huntress78]

The last bear I shot by permit had already been shot in the past (by someone else) with birdshot....one back leg was broken and full of infection. Bears have very thin skin and birdshot can hurt them badly. Rubber bullets might be a better choice.

Some people here 'train' the bears to stay away from bird feeders by hanging a balloon filled with ammonia and smeared with peanut butter. Maybe you could try the same around the coop...smear the balloon with chicken blood and hang a few feathers from it.

 

[Coop Deville]

This is truly a remarkable predator story. Sorry for your loss, and I hope your family remains safe.

 

[mydadsjoy]

The last bear I shot by permit had already been shot in the past (by someone else) with birdshot....one back leg was broken and full of infection. Bears have very thin skin and birdshot can hurt them badly. Rubber bullets might be a better choice.

Some people here 'train' the bears to stay away from bird feeders by hanging a balloon filled with ammonia and smeared with peanut butter. Maybe you could try the same around the coop...smear the balloon with chicken blood and hang a few feathers from it.

Ah now see... I was told... and now I see they were quite mistaken - that the birdshot wouldn't wound the bear. Just hurt him enough that he'd thing about coming back. There's no way I would wound an animal. Kill - if necessary, absolutely! Wound. Nope.

Loving the ammonia idea! I think peanut butter would suffice. Chicken blood and feathers....

This is truly a remarkable predator story. Sorry for your loss, and I hope your family remains safe.

Thank you. So far he's not come back. That loud radio might just work until the electric fence is up. Then I should have no more issues. If I do, there is a hunter who is willing to come help out once it's legal to do so. Praying that all will be quiet until then. My poor cooped-up chickens are not happy - but they're safe for now. That's another lesson. Build the coop big enough - in case you absolutely have to keep them on lockdown! Mine is just big enough that I feel they aren't horribly crowded, tho they will be very happy when they are set free again.

 

[Huntress78]

The chicken blood is kind of icky but I thought it might teach this bear that your chickens are not as tasty as the other ones he's been eating.

 

[mydadsjoy]

If you go with electric fence hang some raw bacon on it, anything that goes for it will get a charge it will not soon forget, they may never go for bacon again either.

 

[mydadsjoy]

The chicken blood is kind of icky but I thought it might teach this bear that your chickens are not as tasty as the other ones he's been eating.

I should get out my son's remote control cars... make the feathered ammonia balloons "walk" around the chicken yard. Might turn him off ALL chickens if he really thinks it's real. haha

Am I overthinking this?

 

[Reurra]

Contact fish and game, they might be able to live trap the bear for relocation. Bears that become used to getting an easy meal will always return. At this time of year they are fattening up for winter so expect another visit. If its a female, she will bring her cub or cubs up there in the spring when she is nice and hungry after a winter of sleep. Another thing to consider is that an animal attacking livestock usually falls under a kill order. Ive seen ranchers kill mountian lions out of season, all they do is report the animal dead and the local fish and game comes and gets its. They file a report and thats pretty much that. With children around, they bear could get feisty and do some harm if it feels threatened. the more it shows up the more used to you it will become.

 

[Huntress78]

Let me know if it works....I might try it out on my boyfriend's chicken chasin dog!

 

[Jenny1]

Because I gew up in Colorado, and we occasionally had bears in our yard. We had a small decorative pond with fish in it. Occassionally one would come and try to fish for our little goldfish. One time my sister ran around back to get a key from its hiding place and looked up to find a bear taking a bath in our little pond. They both ran- in opposite directions. We loved having a bear around. And honestly- bears generally dont hunt people, so I really wouldnt worry about your kids. Chickens,yes. Kids, no. Try the electical wire, please!

 

[Birdgirl99]

Yes i know this it is VERY dangerous if you shot a bear in the wrong place really the eye seems best but it is hard to shoot something i don't think i could shoot something [only being 13] but i did shoot a bear when it charged my granny in a forest type place she has a big property with lots of horses i got him In the eye and he fell to the ground but it all depends on size he was 234 pounds when the wildlife place weighed him